


Dare Seize Thy Fire

by englishable



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 20:52:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4320267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishable/pseuds/englishable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or, the Other Guy's perspective on several key points. Banner, of course, often fails to appreciate His own understanding of things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dare Seize Thy Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to another prompt, this one asking for my six favorite Bruce/Nat moments from "The Avengers" and "Age of Ultron." I decided to try things from a somewhat different perspective - so here they are, at one hundred words a piece. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

…

**_1._ **

He knows she is there.

Fear carries a physical signature – more permanent than fingerprints, more reliable for distinguishing between a living body and a corpse. The dead fear nothing.

(So Banner believes. But for Him death is not-being, returning to the darkness of Before.)

And though the woman waits inside her shadow – assassins and children both delight in such self-conjuring – her fear brightens the air like a web of steel wires. He is not surprised when she finally leaps back, draws her gun, useless charm that it is.

She stares– not at Banner, at Him.

Good.

(“ _Just you and me?”)_

…

**_2._ **

Sparks explode against Him.

The woman – empty promises, a waiting glass cage – flinches. His blow sends her flying, that breakable body with its parts on strings like a doll. There is just enough time for Him to imagine what will happen next as He lifts a hand.  

(And Banner. How little gratitude he shows, towards someone to whom he owes his life twice over – once more, even, than he owes it to his father.)

Then the first impact comes, like an erupting blood vessel, so violent and sudden that He hardly notices the second impact moments later.

_(“Stop.”)_

He does.

…

**_3._ **

Blood colors her lip. A city crumbles around her.

Yet there is no trepidation in her, and through the cleared distance which divides them He sees her as though for the first time. Appropriate, He thinks, that one with such intricate, calculated fear should be so hardened otherwise. 

A monster. Like Him.

(Banner’s fear is soft, nebulous, expanding to fit the size of its container – but Banner is not afraid now, either.)

Then she looks at – who? Indecipherable, incomprehensible, because perhaps it is meant for both of them at once.

And she smiles.

_(“…No, we could use a little worse.”)_

…

**_4._ **

He delights in these moments.

Bullets turn to rain against Him, fire does not burn Him, steel shreds between His fingers. It fills Him with lolloping, wild energy – He is free, unmastered, strong-strong-strong.

And He will go to her, soon, like the needle on a compass, because she seems to understand all that. Her opened hands will reach out as though He is something beloved.  

He would say it is like being a child, except He cannot remember eve being one – Banner can, but opened hands meant something very different then.

_(“Somebody want to deal with that bunker?”)_

Of course.

…

**_5._ **

_(“We could really use a lullaby.”)_

It hurts.

It is a forced change, a turning inside-out, red light like a goad against His brain. The world becomes splintering glass, helpless screams. Time bends backwards.

_(”Rebecca sweetheart please get up you know I didn’t mean it Bruce what the fuck are you staring at oh god oh god oh god”)_

And when He looks at the destruction – she is not there, why should she be? – the pain is a sharp surprise, the edge of a hidden razor. The speaking voice becomes His own.

_(“I’m sorry-I’m sorry-I’m sorry.”)_

But Banner cannot answer.

…

**_6._ **

She knows He is there.

The air is thin, cold, dampened by the high-towered clouds. Another crumbling city falls away, her body – still alive, still unafraid – gathered close as He leaps.Then she opens her eyes to stare at Him – at Him and Banner both this time, He understands.  

They tried to kill her. 

She had reached out her hand, and they tried to kill her, and it comes to Banner in an instant what must be done.

(He cannot bring Himself to disagree.)

_”Now go be a hero.”_

So They lay her down, together, as one, and turn to leave.  

…


End file.
